The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
This week at the White House, the President updated the nation on our government-wide response to Ebola, we discussed efforts against ISIL with our international efforts, and the First Lady asked, “Turnip for What?”
This week, we continued to actively monitor Ebola, invited Americans to participate in a We the People Meet Up, took a look back at the first White House website, and took a critical step to help protect consumers’ financial security.
Photo of the Week
We Are Continuing to Actively Monitor Ebola
On Wednesday, the President met with Ebola Response Coordinator Ron Klain. During his meeting, President Obama highlighted our comprehensive response to Ebola at home and abroad.
- We will continue active monitoring of travelers from the affected countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
- We will continue to report their temperature and symptoms for 21 days.
- We will work with state and local officials to actively monitor travelers.
Want to find out how you can help fight the spread of Ebola? Click here to learn more.
We Invited Americans to Participate in a #WTPMeetUp
On September 22, 2011, we launched We the People -- an online platform that gives Americans an innovative way to petition their government. To celebrate its third birthday, we invited Americans from across the country to participate in a We the People Meet Up at the White House this week.
At the meet up, participants:
- Toured the White House
- Spent the afternoon at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and discussed their experience using the petitions platform
- Talked with senior Administration officials
We're excited to be hosting @wethepeople users here at the @WhiteHouse for the #WTPMeetUp today!
— WeThePeople (@wethepeople) October 23, 2014
We Looked Back at the First White House Website
As an intern in the White House Office of Digital Strategy and a child of the 90s, I grew up alongside the several updated versions of the White House website. While a lot has changed with the website since 1994, one thing hasn’t: our commitment to create meaningful ways for Americans to engage and connect with the White House.
Share your comments and questions through our current website -- then take a look at how online engagement has changed over the years:
The White House launched its first website twenty years ago, creating new ways for Americans to find information about and interact with the President and the Executive Branch.
We Took a Critical Step to Help Protect Consumers’ Financial Security
Last Friday, the President signed an Executive Order to help protect consumers’ financial security and improve confidence in the marketplace.
President Obama highlighted that millions of Americans suffer from credit card fraud and identity theft each year, and tens of millions have had their data breached in the last year alone. The Executive Order will help protect American consumers by:
- Assisting victims of identity theft
- Improving the government's payment security, as a customer and a provider
- Accelerating the transition to stronger security technologies and the development of next-generation payment security tools
Want to see even more? Be sure to check out the White House Blog, this week's episode of West Wing Week, and the White House's official Twitter account:
